Expert calls for culture of peace through benevolence

A Chinese expert said on Thursday that peace and benevolence can bridge the gap between different faiths and cultures.

The statement of the Secretary General of the China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC), Dr. Patrick Ho, came as he addressed the UN General Assembly during a special event, titled "United for a Culture of Peace through Interfaith Harmony", to mark the World Interfaith Harmony Week which began on Feb. 1 this year.

In his speech, Ho, former director of Home Affairs Bureau of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, quoted the history of Chinese mariner Zheng He's voyages of discovery and expounded the meaning of peace and benevolence, both of which are very important virtues in traditional Chinese religious thought.

"Peace, a core value in ancient Chinese Confucian teachings, can today serve as an effective bridge-between faiths, cultures, civilizations, and nations," Ho said.

Chinese cultivate benevolence, which is the most important of all virtues, by "putting ourselves in the position of others and treating them as you wish them to treat you," which universality permeates the world ethical, cultural, and religious traditions throughout the ages, he said.

He also called on people to find peace "by loving one another as we love ourselves," and "by respecting and loving one another' s country as we respect and love our own country."

The World Interfaith Harmony Week is a time set by the UN for promotion of interfaith harmony and understanding amongst religions. The idea for the week was proposed to the General Assembly by Jordan in September 2010 and officially adopted by the assembly the following month.

CEFC is a nonprofit, non-governmental think tank devoted to public diplomacy and researches on strategic issues with emphasis on energy and culture. Its headquarters is located in Hong Kong, with stations in Beijing and Shanghai.